Venetian blind



Sept. 9, 1941. .11 'r. BUTLER ET AL VENETIAN BLIND Filed July 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS mw. 31.; i W m 5M. m 7 m Na .A MM JC m Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND John T. Butler and Charles A. Sylvester,

. Pasadena, Calif.

Application July 22, 1940, Serial'No. 346,744

19 Claims. (Cl. 156-17) This invention relates generally to windows and more particularly to Venetian blinds there for.

The primary object of the invention is toprovide a Venetian blind having manifold advantages among which are the following:

1. Is entirely demountable without tools to afford easy access to slats, tapes, rails and cords for separate cleaning, repairs or replacement of such parts.

2. Slats can be closed absolutely tight to insure maximum privacy, and permits slats to be inverted in their installed positions to dispose either side of the slats uppermost and thus prolong their life.

3. Eliminates custom made Venetian blinds, as the structure embodying this invention can be manufactured in stock sizes to fit all standard windows, and can be installed with equal facility and efficiency on the inside and outside of window frames.

4. Can be used with either drapes or glass curtains without danger of having such hangings damaged by the slats, and without causing any disarrangement of the slats or obstructing the raising and lowering movements thereof.

5. Eliminates entrance of light at sides of blind and provides maximum privacy as a result.

6. Eliminates all cord slots in slats so as to increase the strength thereof, and conceals cords from view so as to enhance the appearance of the blind.

7. Blind can be raised and lowered with slats in partially or fully closed position with absolute freedom so as to entirely obviate the necessity of adjusting the slats to substantially full open position before raising or lowering the blind as is the practice with blinds heretofore proposed.

8. Prevents swinging of blind from top rail by wind or other cause, and confines or guides slats in a rectilinear path so as to insure ease of operation and perfect stacking of slats when raised.

9. Displaces window stop in an inside installation and includes installation brackets as'factory assembled parts of the blind to eliminate added labor in applying brackets to window frames.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in inside elevation partly by screws l2.

broken away and in section, embodying this invention;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 2-2, 3-3 and 4-H of Figure 1;

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary vertical sectional views similar to Figure 4 and illustrating the slats in different positions;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a detail plan view of a, detachable tape connection embodied in the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the two parts of one of a pair of slat guiding elements embodied in the invention.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the inof a Venetian blind vention, in its present embodiment, comprises a pair of guiding elements G, which are identical in construction except that one. is right hand and the other left hand. Each of these elements is composed of two parts or sections preferably in the form of wooden bars, the one designated at H] having a metalplate H co-extensive in length therewith and secured to one side thereof The other section I3 is recessed at l4 along one side to receive the free longitudinal edge of the plate, and is provided with headed pins l5 adapted to enter L-shaped slots H5 in the plate H to detachably secure the section l3 to the section It).

The sections I 0 of the two guide elements G are adapted to be secured to the inside of the vertical members of a window frame F by screws I! (Figure 4) or to the outside of such members by suitable screws (not shown) which are adapted to be passed through openings l8 (Figures 1 and 3) in the sections according as an inside or outside installation is to be made. The sections In thus become permanent parts of the window frame and are adapted to displace the inside stops for the lower sash l9 of the window.

Secured by a screw 20 to the confronting faces of the sections Ill adjacent their upper ends are installation brackets 2! which are right and left hand and are provided with flanges 22 on which rest a head bar 23. The head bar is slidably received between the sections [0 at their upper ends, and is provided at its ends with pins 24 which engage the inside faces of the sections I3 (Figure 2) to prevent withdrawal of the head bar. Latches 25 are pivotedv at 26 on the top surface of the head bar 23 and are manipulatable by finger pieces 21 to the latching position shown in Figures 1 and 2, wherein the latches confine the sections l3 against upwarddisplacement from the sections l and outward displacement from i the ends of the head bar.

Secured to and depending from the head ba 23 are brackets 30 and 3|. for supporting the top tilting rail 32 which is journaled at one end in the bracket 30 by means of a trunnion 33 on the rail, and is operatively connected at 34 to the driven element of a conventional tilting mechanism 35 supported by the bracket 3| and actuatable by a cord or chain 36 trained about the pulley 31 of the tilting mechanism, all of which is well known in the art.

A bottom tilting rail 40 is connected to the top tilting rail 32 by pairs of tapes 4| spanned by the usual ladders 42 and looped about the rails. De-' tachable connections C are provided between the tapes and rails, of which a typical one is shown in Figure 8 and comprises two metal plates 43 .and 44 having slots 45 opening to one end and receiving a screw 46 provided with a washer II and .adapted to be screwed into the rails. At their other ends the plates have a return bend 48 which is crimped over an end of a tape 4| to permanently secure the tape to the plate. By loosening the screws 46, the plates are released so as to disconnect the tapes from the rails. The

slots 45 also enable adjustment in the lengths of the tapes to be made to compensate for any slight variations which would adversely affect the installation of the blind and'the suspension of the bottom rail horizontally.

Slats 50 'rest'upon the ladders 42 and freely project at their ends into guideways defined by the guiding elements G between vertical flanges 52 and 53 on the sections Ill and I3 as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Thus the elements G provide housings for the ends of the slats so as to prevent any light from entering between the ends of the slats and the window frame, whereby to attain maximum privacy.

From the ends of the bottom tilting rail 40 project headed pins 55 which are guided in slots 56 defined by the confronting spaced edges of the sections In and I3 and opening into wider slots 51.

Raising and loweringcords 60 for the slats 50 are trained over pulleys 6|, 62 and 63 iournaled in the head bar 23, and pass through a conventional cord locking device 64 on the bracket 35, to terminate in a suspended looped stretch 65 which is grasped to raise and lower the blind.

The free ends of the cords 60 are provided with connectors I0 having ferrules crimped to the cords, and extensions I| provided with slots I2. The upper ends of the slots 12 have enlarged portions 13 to freely receive the heads I4 01' the pins 55 in applying the connectors to the pins. As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the heads I4 co-act with the lower end of the slots I2 in looking the connectors against disengagement from the pins, yet permit the connectors to be readily detached by sliding them laterally on the pins until the heads I4 are opposite the enlarged portions I3 of the slots.

provided with lugs 82 projecting into the slots 56 of the guide elements G for co-action therewith in confining the control elements against pivotal movement on the pins yet permit the control elements to 't ravel bodily with the bottom rail in 1 the operation of the invention, which is as follows:

With the blind installed as shown in the drawings, the slats 56 are confined in the guideways 5| by the flanges 52 and 53 and are thus guided to stack accurately upon raising the blind and to release freely upon lowering the blind.

With the blind lowered and the slats closed, as shown in Figure 5, initial rising movement of the blind will cause the non-pivotal control elements 35 to first strike and thenswing the lowermost slat to a horizontal position in which such slat will rest upon the top fiat surface of the control element. Concurrently, the bottom tilting rail 40 will be caused to swing from its fully tilted position to a horizontal position, all as shown in Figure 6 so that as rising movement of the blind continues, each succeeding slat will be swung to a horizontal position.

' Thus it will be clear that should the blind be closed at a time when it is desired to raise the blind, it will not be necessary to first. open the blind in order to free the slats for rising movement, as the slats and bottom rail will be moved automatically to their fully open or horizontal position by the control elements in response to rising movement of the blind.

Furthermore, in lowering the blind with the top tilting rail 32 adjusted to close the blind, the slats will automatically swing to closed position in successive order from the uppermost slat to the lowermost slat until in the fully lowered position of the blind shown in Figure 5, all slats as well as the bottom tilting rail 40 will occupy the closed position. Therefore, the blind can be raised or lowered with utmost freedom and without binding or disarrangement of the slats when adjusted to occupy closed position, all to the end of obviating the necessity of an adjustment of the slats to open position prior to raising or lowering the blind.

The slats can be readilyremoved for cleaning or other purpose by simply releasing the latches 25 and disconnecting one or both of the remova-ble sections l3 of the guide members G from the permanent sections l0 so that the slats can be withdrawn from the tapes 4|. The tapes can also be removed from the top and bottom rails by loosening the screws 46 sufficiently for the plates 43 and 44 to be slipped out from under the screws. I

With the sections l3 disconnected from thesections III, the head bar 23 can be withdrawn from the brackets 2| to remove all parts of the blind as a unit from the window frame.

What is claimed is;

1. In a Venetian blind, guide elements defining vertical guideways for slats and adapted to be secured to opposite sides of a window frame; at least one of said elements being composed of a permanent section and a removable section coacting to define tne respective guideway; and means for securing the removable section to the permanent section.

2. In a Venetian blind, a top tilting railja bottom rail; ladder tapes connecting the rails; slats supported by said tapes; and means coacting with the bottom rail in a closed position of the slats, to move the slats to open position in response to raising of the blind so that such rising movement can be freely eifected.

3. In a Venetian blind, a top tilting rail; a bottom rail; ladder tapes connecting the rails; slats supported by said tapes; and means operable in a closed position of the slats to move the latter and bottom rail to horizontal position and stack, the slats accurately on the bottom rail in response to raising of the blind.

4. In a Venetian blind, a top tilting rail; a bottom rail; ladder tapes connecting the rails; slats supported by said tapes; and means operable in a closed position of the blind to successively move the slats to open position and the bottom rail to non-tilted position with the slats stacked thereon, in response to rising movement of the blind.

5. In a Venetian blind, a top tilting rail; a bottom rail; ladder tapes connecting the rails; slats supported by said tapes; and means for automatically moving the slats to open position or restoring the slats to closed position according as the blind is raised or lowered with the top tilting rail adjusted to close the blind.

6. In a Venetian blind, a top tilting rail; 2. bottom rail; ladder tapes connecting the rails; slats supported by said tapes; means defining vertical slots at opposite sides of the blind; means plvotally carried by the bottom rail and guided by said slots against pivotal movement, for coaction with the slots and bottom rail in a closed position of the blind, to move the slats to open position and the bottom rail to non-tilted position with the slats stacked thereon, in response to raising of the blind.

7. In a Venetian blind, a connection for lad- I der tapes comprising: a pair of plates slotted to one end and having means at the other end to which ladder tapes are adapted to be connected; and a screw fastening member adapted to be threaded into a rail and to pass through the slots of said plates to clamp the latter to the rail with their slotted ends in overlapped relation.

8. In a Venetian blind, guide elements defining guideways for slats, at least one of said elements being composed of a permanent section and a removable section co-acting to define the respective guideway; means adapted to secure the guide elements to opposite sides of a window or door frame with said guideways vertically disposed and in confronting relationship to receive and confine the ends of slats against lateral displacement from the elements; and means for detachably securing the removable section to the permanent section.

9. In a Venetian blind, guide elements defining guideways for slats, at least one of said elements being composed of a permanent section anda removable section co-acting to define the respective guideway; means adapted to secure the guide elements to opposite sides' of a window or door frame with said guidewaysvertically disposed and in confronting relationship to receive and confine the ends of slats against lateral dis- I placement from the elements; brackets projecting from the confronting sides of the guide elements, in which a slat-supporting head bar is slidably received and is withdrawable from between the guide elements; means adapted to secure the head bar against displacement from the brackets; and means for detachably securing the removable section to the permanent section.

10. In a Venetian blind, top and bottom tilting rails and slats supported therebetween; vertical guide elements at oppositesides of the blind; and means movably mounted on said bottom rail and co-actable with said guide elements in a closed position of the blind, to move the slats to open position in response to raising of the blind.

11. Ina Venetian blind, top and bottom rails and slats supported therebetween; control elements; means plvotally mounting said elements on the bottom rail and engageable with the lowermost slat in response to raising of the blind; and means co-acting with said elements to prevent pivotal movement thereof for operation of the elements when the blind is closed, in camming the slats to open position in response to raising of the blind.

12. In a Venetian blind, top and bottom rails and slats supported therebetween; means defining vertical guideways receiving the ends of the slats to confine the latter against lateral displacement; control elements; means mounting said elements on the bottom rail with the latter free for tilting movement and with the elements disposed for engagement with the lowermost slat upon raising the blind; and means whereby said elements are caused to co-act with said first means when the blind is closed, to cam "the slats to open position and the bottom rail to nontilted position with the slats stacked thereon, in response to raising of the blind.

13. In a Venetian ,blind, top and bottom rails.

and slats supported therebetween; means defining vertical guideways and vertical slots communicating therewith, the former receiving the ends of the slats to guide and confine the slats against lateral displacement; control elements; means pivotally mounting said elements on the bottom rail in a position to engage the lowermost slat upon raising the blind; and lugs on the control elements working in said slots to prevent pivotal movement of the control elements for operation of the latter in moving the slats to open position and the bottom rail to non-tilted position with the slats stacked thereon, upon raising the blind with the top rail adjusted to close the blind.

14. In a Venetian blind, top and bottom rails and slats supported therebetween; means defining vertical guideways receiving the ends of .the slats to confine the latter against lateral displacement; control elements; headed pins pivotally mounting said control elements; connectors having keyhole slots receiving said pins to detachably connect the raising and lowering cords of the blind to the bottom rail; and means coacting with said elements to preventpivotal movement thereof, for operation of the elements when the blind is closed, in camming the slats to open position in response to raising of the blind.

15. In a Venetian blind, top and bottom rails and slats supported therebetween; guide elements at opposite sides of the blindhaving vertical guideways receiving the full widths of the slats at their ends to confine the slats against lateral displacement; and means for securing said guide elements to a window frame, whereby the elements will co-act to span any space between the ends of the slots and window frame to prevent the entrance of light between the latter and the ends of the slats when the blind is closed.

16. In a Venetian blind, guide elements defining vertical guideways for slats and adapted to be secured to opposite sides of a window frame; at least one of said elements being composed of a permanent section and a removable sectioncoacting to define the respective guideway; and means for securing the removable section to the permanent section, said sections co-actingto define a cord-receiving slot in communication with the guideway.

17. In a Venetian blind, a plurality of slats and means including a tiltable bottom rail mounting the slats in spaced superposed relation for ascending and descending movements and-adjustment to occupy open and closed positions; and means including elements carried by said rail and non-tiltable with respect thereto, for co-action with the slats in adjusting same 'to open position upon raising the blind with the slats in closed position.

18. In a Venetian blind, guide elements defining vertical guideways for the end portions of slats and adapted to be secured to opposite sides of a window frame; at least one oi said elements being composed of a permanent section and a removable section defining the respective guideway; means for detachably securing said sections and on which said head bar rests between.

said elements; and means co-actable with said removable section in preventing upward displacement oi the latter and withdrawal of the head bar from between the guide elements.

19. In a Venetian blind, guide elements defining vertical guideways for the end portions of slats and adapted to be secured to opposite sides of a window frame; at least one of said elements being composed of a permanent section and a removable section defining the respective guideway; means for detachably securing said sections together by downward vertical, movement of the removable section; a head bar for supporting a slat unit and operating mechanism therefor; brackets secured to the permanent sections and on which said head bar rests between said elements; latches mounted on the head bar and coactable with said removable section in preventing upward displacement of the latter; and pins on the head bar ,engageable with the removable section to lock the head bar against withdrawal 20 from between the guide elements.

JOHN T. BUTLER. CHARLES A. SYLVESTER. 

